My Heart Can't Tell You No
by BeeDee92
Summary: Hermione and Ron broke up 3 years ago, so what is he doing laying unconscious on her front steps? She takes him into hiding for his protection, but whoever is after him doesn't mind hurting her in the process. Can Harry and his team of Aurors figure it out before it to late? And how will Ron and Hermione cope with being stuck in a house together after being apart for so long?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Hermione Granger sat in a window seat of her modest two bedroom home in muggle London. Snow was falling softly on the couples that strolled hand in hand as the holiday lights twinkled in the quiet of the night. She sighed and closed her book, her mind had stopped focusing on the words and she had reread the same line for the past half hour, she sipped her still warm tea and decided it was late enough she could go to bed. Silently she stood up and padded over to her kitchen, but paused when she saw Crookshanks, he was laying on the top of the couch staring intently at the front door.

"Hey baby, what's the matter?" She asked in confusion at his odd behavior. He glanced at her before standing up, stretching, and jumping off the couch, she followed him as he silently moved to the door and scratched at it. Hermione quickly brandished her wand before opening the door, the first thing that struck her was the cold wind that blew snow into her entry, the second thing she noticed was that there was something on her front step, actually no, it was an unconscious person!

"Oh Merlin!" She yelped before rushing out barefoot into the snow. Quickly she turned him over and immediately fell back into the snow in shock, Ron Weasley was unconscious on her front step, her ex best friend, and her ex boyfriend who had walked out on her 3 years before, and she hadn't heard from him since. "How did you end up here?" she wondered out loud, before Crookshanks meowed, reminding her that she should bring him in and alert the Auror department.

She levitated him into her house and placed him on the chocolate color couch none to gently before stalking over to the fireplace to make a fire call. "HARRY! Its Hermione, it's an emergency!" She yelled through the flames. It took two seconds for her best friends face to appear on the other side.

"Hermione!? What's wrong?" He asked.

"Now I'm calling you because you're head of the Auror department and I'm assuming Ron is your partner?"

"Well yeah but what's that have to do with the emergency, if you're wanting to talk to Ron, which I 100% support I want to add, he isn't here, he is out on a call, apparently there was some suspicious activity down in muggle London, actually quite close to where you live, maybe I should have him drop by to check out what the problem is?" He asked she had to fight to roll her eyes; he was always trying to get Ron and her to talk after the split.

"No Harry, the problem is Ron is here, unconscious on my couch, showed up about 10 minutes ago on my doorstep!" She exclaimed.

Harry's eyes grew in size, "Back up, I'm coming through, and I'm bringing a few more Aurors." He told her, suddenly making the switch from friend to professional.

Hermione backed up to wait for him to get the team and come through; she picked up her cold tea and sat in the arm-chair across from the unconscious red-head. Her heart longed to touch his face, he looked the same, if not more handsome, merlin she had missed him.

Her attention averted to the fire as it turned green and Harry stepped through, he immediately ran to Ron and starting doing diagnostic spells as the room filled with more people. After deciding Ron would be alright Harry turned to his team.

"I want you to search the area, check out anything suspicious or anyone and for the love of Merlin go in teams! We don't need another unconscious person!" The people dispersed out her front door as Harry sat down in the other chair and turned towards her. "Now explain again how this happened, I have to write a report." He told her indicating the notepad and quill floating in the air.

"Well I was reading and had just decided to go to bed when I noticed my cat, who is part kneazle, staring at the door. Now normally most people would ignore this, but I know my cat and he knows things I don't. So I walked over to him and as soon as he saw me he got up and led me to the door where he scratched at it. I wasn't sure what I would find so I pulled my wand out and opened the door, and found Ron laying in the snow unconscious, so I levitated him to the couch and fire called you." She explained.

"Did you see anyone else? Anything suspicious?"

"No sorry Harry, nothing..." She answered embarrassed that she hadn't actually looked around.

Harry nodded and let the quill and pad drop into his lap, then looked at her, "You're not going to like what I'm about to tell you."

She looked at him through suspicious eyes and raised her eye brow, "And what would that be?"

"Well, someone has been after Ron for a while, I'm not sure why, but he keeps almost getting killed or accidents happen that injure him. He begged to go out tonight after being stuck on desk duty for two weeks, he said it was just a muggle area, no big deal, and I let him." Harry sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I've decided I'm putting him in a safe house under the fidelius charm, and I think this would be the best place for that, he knows you, you're in a muggle area, and you'll be perfectly safe." He explained.

"No absolutely not." She immediately answered.

"Hermione, this person who is after Ron, he knows where he works, he know where he lives. Ron's hurt, I can't let Molly see him like this, he would kill me! He needs someone to help care for him; you have healer experience, please? For an old friend help him out?"

She glared at him but knew that she would cave; she could never turn Ron away, no matter how badly he had hurt her. "Fine, but he steps one toe out of line I'm sending him straight to you!"

"I know he hurt you, he regrets how it ended you know? He misses you. The fight was bad, I…."

"No don't say you know!" She snapped her emotions running high, "I caught him kissing another girl! I waited for him to get home and then when I confronted him he denied it! When I told him I saw it, he said she had kissed him and he couldn't push her off! But then he decided that if I couldn't trust him then we weren't meant for each other, and just like that he left me Harry! Just gone, poof, 7 years of friendship and a 3 year relationship over just like that because it was my fault for being worried when I caught him in a lip lock with Lavender fucking Brown!" She snapped.

Harry sat quietly before quietly telling her, "He's dating her now."

She felt the tears fill her eyes, and took a deep shuddering breath to calm herself, "Well good for him, I'm dating someone too, so we are both good. I have a spare room, you can throw him in there and I'll tend to him tomorrow. But for now I'm going to bed goodnight Harry, let me know the phrase for the charm so I can get back into my house when I decided to leave, I'll see you soon." She muttered before going to bed, dreams of what her future could have been with red-headed children and laughter haunting her through the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone, thanks for all the reviews! It always makes me excited when I read them! So this chapter isn't super exciting, but its necessary to explain what happened between Hermione and Ron. Next chapter will be more exciting! Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy it!**

CHAPTER TWO

Hermione woke up to her head pounding. Silently she got up and got ready for the day, she spent an extra ten minutes deciding what to wear before kicking herself, she didn't need to impress anyone, she decided on a comfortable yellow tee-shirt and jeans. Softly she walked down the hall and popped her head into the guest room.

She tried not to let out a yelp of surprise when she found the guest bed empty and her unwanted guest missing. Quickly she brandished her wand and slowly walked down the hall and into the living room, and there on the couch she saw him, he was reading a note and hadn't noticed her yet.

She took the moment to study him, his red hair was longer and he had some scruff that gave him sexy look, added to the cuts on his face and a bruise that had formed along his cheek bone he looked dangerous, suddenly he looked up and she was drowning in the deep blue of his eyes.

She blinked and nodded to him before continuing to the kitchen to start on breakfast. She tried to calm her pounding heart, she couldn't even look at him without wanting to just throw herself at him.

"Hermione can we talk, please?" A voice asked from the doorway.

Slowly she turned and faced him, she immediately noticed he was limping and he looked even more roughed up the closer she looked. "Okay." She finally answered.

Nodding he walked back to the living room with her soft steps following closely behind. Once they got sat down, she turned to him and waited.

He looked uncomfortable at her direct stare. "Well first off, thank you for helping me last night. Harry left me a note explaining where I was and what was going on so I wouldn't panic when I woke up in a strange place. Secondly, I had no idea this was you're place, and I honestly can't believe out of all the houses in muggle London I end up on your doorstep, and I do apologize I know this isn't very comfortable for you, I'm not sure how I feel about it honestly, but Harry was very adamant that I stay here for my safety until they find out who is after me. So I guess thank you for agreeing, I can't imagine what Harry said to convince you, but I think we should be civil to each other while I'm stuck here?" He finished quickly.

"I'm not uncomfortable Ron, I don't see why I would be, it's been a long time since we dated, and we were friends before that, I wouldn't leave you out in the cold over something that happened so far back in the past. We have both moved on and are happy, and I don't see why I wouldn't be civil? Although I'm a little annoyed you would assume that after three years I would still be sitting around pinning after you." She answered, she knew she was lying through her teeth but she got a certain joy out of seeing him squirm uncomfortably.

"That's…. that isn't what I meant, I just thought, maybe, you held a grudge at how we ended, I mean we haven't talked since that day, so I just figured… you know that you hated me?" He squeaked.

She sighed, "You're not exactly my favorite person in the world, probably just above Draco Malfoy on the list of people I'd want to be locked in a house with. But I'll be civil to you, hopefully Harry can sort out this entire mess quickly, Connor won't be happy when he finds my house missing, and even less happy when he finds out I'm sharing a house with an ex boyfriend."

"Oh how long have you been dating?" Ron asked his eyebrows shooting up.

" Just a few months, he's a wizard from America, and I should probably give him a call before he decides to pop over and starts panicking when he finds a gaping hole where my house used to be." She finished but before she could go on she saw something sitting on her coffee table, leaning over she picked up a sparkly bracelet and a note that sat next to it.

_Hermione,_

_Thank you again for opening you're home to Ron, try to be nice, what happened between you guys wasn't as easy on him as you would like to believe. Also, I left you this bracelet, as long as you're wearing it, if you're ever in need of help, it will alert me and I'll be there in a moment's notice._

_Lastly, just imagine you're address, in your head while looking towards your house and it will appear for you and only you, unless you personally bring someone through. Be careful and stay safe._

_Harry_

Hermione rolled her eyes but put the bracelet on, it couldn't hurt. "Alright Ron, let me check the extent of your injuries, I'm going to need you to get in your underwear, now don't look at me like that, I'm a healer!" She exclaimed trying to keep her cheeks from coloring.

Ron nodded slowly, his ears burning red as he pulled his shirt over his head she noted he was having a lot of difficulty with lifting one of his arms, and then lowered his jeans. She cleared her throat and tried to keep her face passive as she gazed at him, his muscles were lean but defined and she felt herself heating up the longer she gazed at him.

Taking in a quick breath she pulled out her wand and started healing his minor bruises and cuts, starting with his feet, she immediately saw he had sprained his left ankle. Slowly she made her way to his stomach, and very blatantly avoiding any area near his underwear. "Now, I'm going to press down, let me know if it's tender." She told him her big brown eyes meeting his blue one. She ran her hands down the side of his ribs checking for broken bones and trying very hard not to think about how nice his skin felt. She made mental notes when he made a quick intake of breath or flinched, "It seems you have 2 broken ribs, I don't have potions now but I can pick some up before I get back from work tomorrow, you also have a sprained ankle, a few bruises that are too big for minor healing charms, and a dislocated shoulder which I can put in a sling.

After she had patched him up the best she could with what little she had at home she decided it might be best to contact Connor and let him know what happened.

She stuck her head in the fire-place, "Connor are you home?"

"Hermione, what a pleasant surprise I was just going to stop by your place!" Replied a handsome man with black curly hair, and deep brown eyes, "What's up?"

"Something happened last night Connor, I found an unconscious man on my doorstep, so I called Harry. He checked it out and decided my house should be the safe house for him, since I'm a healer I can keep an eye on his injuries, and well, no one would suspect him to be here at my house."

His eyebrows shot up in surprise, "You have an unconscious stranger living with you who was attacked? What if he is a bad guy Mione, What if he attacks you?"

She sighed this was not going to go over well, "He's safe, and he isn't a stranger, its Ron Weasley, I guess someone has been after him for a while now and Harry said it's for the best. But it wasn't my choice, but like I told him earlier, the past is past."

Connor sat in silence for a while, thinking over what she said, finally he sighed, "I trust you Mione, you can't turn away an injured person, not even someone who was so hurtful. You're a good person, can I come over soon?" He asked.

"Maybe we should wait on that for a little while, I just don't want to make things even more awkward, but once I get a little more used to the situation I'll let you know." She answered; she really didn't feel comfortable with Ron meeting Connor.

"Alright, well I've got to run, I just got a huge project given to me for work, I'll see you soon Mione." He answered, pulling away before she could answer.

Sighing she backed up, "You know he strikes me as fishy, he gives me a bad feeling." Ron announced behind her.

"Merlin Ron!" She yelled clutching her chest, "Warn someone of your presence before scaring the shit out of them!"

"Sorry, but he is fishy, no boyfriend is that okay with his girlfriend rooming with an ex that everyone thought she would one day marry. Plus he is more focused on work then comforting you, someone was attacked in your neighborhood and all he cares about is his project! He didn't even wait for you to say good-bye!"

She glared at him, "Connor trusts me, he knows I can take care of myself, and he did try to come over I just wouldn't let him."

"It wouldn't have stopped me." He shrugged flinching at the pain in his shoulder.

"Well thankfully he isn't you then." She snapped before storming to the kitchen.

"Hermione wait!" Ron yelled limping after her.

"What! What do you want Ron?" She snapped fighting back tears, merlin how was she supposed to deal with him in her house! She had a boyfriend but every cell in her wanted Ron back.

"I'm sorry, no really listen I've been working on this apology for 3 years!" he told her when she rolled her eyes, " I have no one to blame for our split but me, you were amazing and I just threw you away and made you feel like it was your fault when it wasn't. See I was frustrated, Harry and Ginny were always together, but you were so busy with healer school and I missed you but I slowly started getting resentful. Then when Lavender kissed me, I didn't push her away right away, and the guilt was killing me, so when you confronted me I knew you deserved better than a fool like me. But I was so angry that I made you think it was your fault, and it wasn't I know that now, but at the time I thought, if you had paid more attention to me I would have immediately pushed her away. I left you and immediately regretted it, you were the best person I had ever met, the pain haunted me, when Harry and I went out you were missing, when I'd come home you were missing, and I had no one to blame but myself. You deserved an apology and I tried, but you moved, and Harry refused to tell me where you were, so now I want to formally apologize for being a bloody jerk." He finished his blue eyes boring into hers.

She felt her blood rushing in her ears, "What about Lavender? I figured you guys got together after our break up?"

He laughed, "No, we just got together this past year, I ran into her for the first time since the incident. She immediately came running to me and apologized, she told me a friend had put a temporary love potion in her chocolate with some of my hair thinking it would be harmless, she tracked me down, and you saw what happened, I guess it was about 10 minutes after I had pulled myself away she came to her senses, and had been so horrified she had avoided me until the guilt ate her alive and she had to apologize. So I invited her to lunch, and she's different then she was in school, I guess the war really took its toll on everyone."

Hermione nodded, "I forgive you Ron, I'm still not happy but now I know what really happened, you have no idea how confused and hurt you left me when you walked out. I'll try to work on letting that pain go as long as you do too, maybe we will be able to hang out with Harry after this is all over," He looked up and smiled a dazzling smile, "I said maybe, don't get to comfortable." She added in worry that he was going to invade her personal space and she would do something foolish like kiss him.

"Okay, well then I have one more question, what do you have for lunch in this place? It's all rabbit food!" He exclaimed, and all she could do was laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Hermione yawned as she walked into St. Mungo's, her healer robes swished quietly around her as she waved to the other healers and patients. "Good morning Healer Granger!" Exclaimed an over excited intern who idolized Hermione because of her war heroine status.

"Good morning Lindsey, how is Mr. Douglas holding up? Are his polka dots fading?" Hermione asked glancing down at her case load for the day.

"Yes the blue has changed from navy to sky blue over night, I'd say if we administer one more potion he should be able to go home today with completely normal coloring!" Lindsey chirped.

"Good, if you could do that for me I'm going to check Mrs. Finnigan and see how she is, I have a feeling she's going to be having that baby any moment now!" And with that last sentence Hermione glided by the overly excited intern and into her daily routine.

"Padma! How are you and the little one doing, is she still refusing to come?" Hermione asked her old friend from school. Padma had been admitted because she had been two weeks over due and Padma refused to be induced, worried it would hurt the baby. Hermione tried to convince her otherwise but she was as stubborn as her Irish husband.

"I think today is the day Hermione! I really do, my back hurts extra bad today I wouldn't be surprised if my water was to break any second!" Padma told her, "I can't wait to be able to see my toes again!"

Hermione laughed, "I'm sure I can't even imagine! She sure is a stubborn one, you'll have fun with her growing up!"

"Yes Seamus and I are probably going to have the most stubborn child in history! Oh!" Padma squeaked.

Hermione glanced down and smiled, "I'm going to contact Seamus, your baby is coming! I'll also alert a nurse to check on you periodically and to alert me when its time." Hermione told her while she magically cleaned the sheet that had just been soaked through.

Padma nodded with a smile on her face, "Oh I can't wait to meet her!"

Hermione walked out of the room after letting the floor nurse know that Padma was in labor. The day past uneventful, a few people had grown feathers, some boy had taken polyjuice laced with goat hair, she had explained that it was fixable to his relief and then told him it had happened to her when she was only 13, a woman had gotten hit with a curse where she was forced to float upside down, and one little girl had broken out in painful boils.

Hermione sighed as she sat down in the break room for her 2pm break the little girls crying face haunting her, as she browsed for something that looked good in the vending machine, she hated when children got hit with curses, it tugged at her heart. She just about decided when her wand paged her, Padma was ready. With a sigh she turned away only to turn back around, a sound had finally caught her attention. A light ticking was coming from the vending machine, quickly she rushed out of the room to report it.

BOOM! The floors and walls shook with the force of the explosion knocking Hermione to her knees, alarms sounded and the sprinklers went off as Hermione lay sprawled out in the hallway shaking. "Healer Granger are you alright!" Exclaimed a frightened Lindsey, as people rushed by to check out the chaos.

"I'm fine, the vending machine, not so much, I haven't a clue what happened but I need to go help a patient, hold off the aurors until I finish then I'll answer whatever questions they have." She told Lindsey as she brushed off her robes.

The brunette intern nodded her green eyes staring fearfully into the break room. "Okay I'll let them know."

"Thank you, Lindsey." Was all Hermione told her before rushing down the hall to the room that held Padma. Quickly she washed her hands and gloved up before walking in.

"Hermione! What was that noise? The entire room shook!" Seamus exclaimed flinching as Padma squeezed his hand and groaned.

"Nothing to worry about, just a mishap in the break room, now who's ready for a baby!" She answered trying to smile brightly and ignore her shaking hands.

Padma let out a breath and raised her hand in exhaustion, "Please get her out of me!"

The next hour sped by in a blur for Hermione only coming to a slow down as she handed a screaming baby girl to the exhausted mother.

"Elizabeth Lane Finnigan, that's her name." Padma said as her and Seamus gazed in wonder at the little bundle in her arms.

"Would you like me to send in the visitors now or have them wait?" Hermione asked quietly not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Just our parents and sibling for now, after they leave the others can come in." Seamus decided and Hermione nodded as she pulled off her bloody robes and gloves.

Stepping out of the room she walked to the visitors center, "Finnigan visitors?" Hermione yelled out. A group of people walked towards her, and Hermione's eyes immediately landed on a head of silky black hair, Lavender.

"So what did she have? Can we go back? Is she okay?" Asked Parvati.

"She is doing great just tired, Her and Seamus agreed that for now just parents and siblings, after they clear out the rest of you can go back, and she had a girl, Elizabeth Lane." Hermione told them with a small smile.

The family quickly rushed by and pretty soon she was left with a few strangers, Dean and Lavender. "If you will excuse…"

"Hermione wait, can I talk to you for a moment?" Lavender asked glancing at the ground awkwardly.

"Uh.. Okay quickly though I have another engagement with an exploding vending machine." She added not realizing how weird her statement must have sounded.

"Well Harry let me know where Ron disappeared to, and well I just want you to know that I'm so sorry for ruining your relationship…. It was my entire fault and I'm just soo….. so sorry!" She cried out tears leaking down her face.

"It's, well, you know it was out of your control I don't blame you, Ron's the one who ended it not me." She told her trying to comfort her, it didn't work, Lavender just continued to cry.

Hermione stood awkwardly next to her unsure of what to do until Lavender decided she had more to say. "He still loves you, he denies it, but I'm not stupid and I guess you could blame my wolf senses, they makes me more in tuned with emotions. But it's okay, I care about him but we aren't right for each other, he isn't the man I want to be with and I know for a fact I'm not the woman he wants. So you're free to do as you wish, I won't blame you nor would I blame him for doing what makes him happy."

Hermione was bewildered, the entire world was conspiring against her, "Thank you for your thoughtful insight Lavender, but, I have a boyfriend, so thank you for your offer but really it isn't necessary."

Lavender just gave her a knowing look before walking away leaving Hermione feeling very confused and stressed out.

Quickly she turned and walked back to the chaos that was the break room, Healers, interns, patients, nurses, and reporters were lining the walls trying to hear about what had happened. "Oh thank merlin Healer Granger! The aurors are not happy to be kept waiting, quickly now come along they're waiting!" Lindsey exclaimed pulling her by the arm through the blockade of aurors.

"Oy! Listen to me that's my girlfriend who was attacked, let me by," yelled a voice from down the hall. Hermione turned and saw Connor pushing his way through the group of aurors and rushing to her. "Hermione are you alright? Were you hurt?" He asked as he enveloped her into a tight hug.

"I'm fine, just had a little scare, I heard the ticking before it blew up and got out of there just in time." She explained before pulling away and looking at him, "Now how did you hear about this, it just happened an hour ago, you work across the city."

He looked a little sheepish as he looked down at her, "Well I may have asked a nurse or two to watch out for you, being who you are I'm always worried someone might try to hurt you, so they alert me if something happens."

She glared at him, "Connor, as you very well know who I am, then I don't think I need to be babysat. I can take care of myself, thank you very much! Secondly, I haven't been attacked since the war, now I don't know what happened in that room but if you will let me go I shall try to find out." She snapped a little too harshly. Quickly she softened her face, "But thank you for caring, it's sweet of you."

She kissed him on the cheek and burst into the still smoldering room her eyes immediately falling on Harry, "Why didn't this bloody bracelet call you!?" She yelled shaking her wrist in his face.

Harry immediately threw his hands up in surrender, "Because you need to feel like you're in danger for it to work, since you were confused about what was happening and then you weren't hurt, you didn't feel like there was an immediate threat. Now please take a seat, I have to write a report." He added giving Hermione a sense of déjà vu as he brandished his floating quill and notepad. "Now what happened?"

She sighed and collapsed into the chair opposite him, "I came in here for my 2pm break, which I was thankful to get to because most of the time it gets interrupted, I had just gotten a wand page to let me know my patient was ready for me to come see her, when I heard a noise, ticking, and it was coming from the vending machine, I immediately rushed out of the room and just in time because as soon as I got to the doorway it blew up." She explained.

Harry nodded, "And where did you go after that? You should have stayed on the scene."

"Like I said I had a patient that needed tending to, I went and helped her deliver a baby and then I came right back here." She told him. "Now can you please explain to me why the damn vending machine decided to blow up!"

Harry sighed and set his notepad and quill down. "Well based on what we can come by, it looks like it was just the machine malfunctioned, but I don't think it was an accident, I think someone rigged it to blow up, whether to actually hurt someone or as a really stupid prank, that is yet to be decided, but for now I'm ordering you home early okay?"

Hermione glared at him, "Fine but first I need to pick up those potions for Ron, I didn't feel like making a special trip here to pick up what he needed so I made him wait, hope you aren't to mad at me." She told him sheepishly.

Harry laughed, "I figured you would do something to extend his pain, but please fix him up tonight, I need him in top shape when he gets back. Now I need to get back to my team and you need to go home." Hermione smiled at him and gave him a quick hug before heading out, running directly back into Connor.

"Merlin Connor didn't I send you back to work? I'm fine!" She snapped annoyed at the way he was hovering.

"I'm worried about you Mione? Is that so bad?" he answered looking hurt.

"No, it's not, but like I said earlier I'm fine, in fact I've been sent home early." She told him.

"Great! Maybe I should escort you home, spend some time together."

She sighed, "Connor I told you yesterday, for now I don't want you coming around my house at the moment. It would make an already awkward situation even more awkward, not to mention Harry doesn't want anyone in my house except for authorized personal, I'm sorry."

He glared at her, "Fine, I was just trying to be nice." He snapped before storming away.

Hermione flinched, she hadn't meant to be so mean, she was just stressed out about everything that had happened and took it out on him, she would have to apologize later.

Quickly she walked into the potion storage room to pick up the potions and then floo'd home.

"Hermione! You're back earlier than I expected!" Exclaimed Ron as he turned away from the TV.

"There was an accident at work, a vending machine blew up while I was on break. Oh I have your potions." She told him waving a hand towards her purse.

"WHAT! Are you okay? Did you get hurt? Did they figure out why it blew up!?" He yelled rushing to her and then stopped suddenly from pulling her in for a hug when she backed away in surprise.

"I'm fine, I got out of there just in time, I was just a little shaken up, and Harry thinks it was a prank gone badly." She explained awkwardly.

"What if it was intentional?" Ron finally added, after a period of awkward silence.

"Then Harry will figure it out, in the meantime we are both safe, and if you want we can get you out of that sling." She told him.

Ron smiled at her and nodded, Hermione handed him three vials, "The one with the diamond stopper is the one for your shoulder and ankle, the smallest one is for your lacerations and bruises, and this last one is for any residue pain you might experience, I have a few bottles of that, I also have one for sleep if you're finding that difficult."

Ron nodded and took the first one, wincing slightly at the flavor, "Ugh, do they all taste that bad!"

She laughed, "No not that bad, but they aren't pumpkin juice." She told him with a smile.

She felt the air leave her lungs as he stared at her with a smile on his face. "To bad, you should invent that Mione," he laughed, "potions that taste like butterbeer and pumpkin juice, it'd be a hit! You'd be famous! Oh wait you already are." He laughed.

She just rolled her eyes and pushed the last two potions, he took the second one without much fuss and when he was finally on the last one he motioned to her, "To you, the future inventor of great tasting potions!

Hermione sat smiling at him before pausing, something was wrong, she watched Ron slowly turn pale, then blue, as he started to shake. "RON! Oh merlin." She exclaimed in her panic, he had been poisoned, someone had tampered with the potions!

Quickly she rushed to her potions storage, nothing, she had no antidotes made up! Suddenly she remember, "Oh I hope this works, Ron don't you dare die on me! Don't you dare!" She yelled as she rushed to her potion ingredients cabinet and grabbed the bezoar and rushing back to Ron and shoving it down his throat. "Please work oh merlin Ron, I can't lose you again please be okay." She yelled through her sobs. Slowly he seemed to gain color back and lay still, he would be okay, she told herself.

Harry came thundering through the floo 2 seconds later, "Whats wrong!" He yelled wand out in defense.

"It's Ron, he was poisoned, you need to go back to St. Mungos immediately, warn them that someone was tampering with potions and to check on anyone given the pain potion, Ron will be okay. I've stabilized him." She told him.

"I'll send a patronus to my team. How did you stabilize him?" he asked after sending a white stag out, he took a seat on the floor next to her shaking slightly.

"Well, he owes his life once again to a bezoar. I swear the older I get the more it feels like history repeats itself." She told him trying to laugh through her tears. Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders in comfort. "Now could you help me, my hands are shaking so bad I can't hold my wand, if you could put him to bed, I'll make up some potions, I refuse to use any from the hospital."

Harry nodded and levitated Ron into the room, "I don't think it was an accident." Harry told her once he had settle Ron down.

"What?" She asked over the steam in her cauldron.

"The vending machine, I think it was a distraction, everyone in the hospital was so focused on that, that I bet the rest of the hospital was empty, I think someone knows you have Ron, and knows you would probably get the potions from your work."

Hermione looked at him with a grim smile, "You know I was thinking the same thing."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Hermione turned off the shower, stepped out from behind the semi sheer curtain, only to fall back and pull the curtain with her as she landed on the cold wet tile with a loud scream. "RONALD WEASELY WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She screamed after untangling herself from the curtain that had pooled on top of her.

"Sorry! Oh merlin are you okay!?" He panicked his eyes wide with shock as he came rushing towards her.

"Yes I'm fine! I'm naked! GET OUT!" She screeched pointing towards the door, clinging to the curtain like it was a life line.

Ron's ears got red as he looked down at her sprawled out form the curtain clinging to her like a glove, "Right, er, sorry." He mumbled as he stumbled out the door, closing it behind him.

Hermione huffed and stood up with a groan, that fall was going to leave a few bruises. Quickly she dressed in a button up pink shirt and jeans, looking at her hair she decided to just pull it back in a pony tail and leave it.

With shaking hands she walked out into the living room and took her time to look Ron over, he looked better than he had almost a week ago, she had put him on strict bed rest and had taken time off work to look after him and brew the potions he needed herself. But after four days of listening to him whine and beg to let him get up and her threatening to glue him to the bed, she finally relented and let him move about with a warning to take it easy. "Now, why the hell did you walk into that bathroom while I was showering." She finally asked, making him jump.

"I didn't know you were showering I swear! I don't know why I didn't hear the shower running but it was silent from the hallway, so I checked the door, it was unlocked and when I opened it there you were! I was in shock and then you stepped out and jeez Hermione I'm so sorry, are you okay?" He asked worried.

Hermione laughed then, "No don't apologize it was my fault, I'm used to living alone so I don't lock the door, and the reason you couldn't hear the shower is because Harry and Ginny stayed over once and decided to use my bathroom for more than just showering, so I permanently silenced it. I'm sorry for yelling at you, you shocked me, I must have come across as a real harpy."

Ron laughed loudly at that, "No you didn't I think anyone would have yelled at the guy ogling them while they showered."

"You were ogling me?" She asked quietly blushing slightly.

Ron's ears, neck, and face immediately turned a deep red, and his eyes widened. "Did I say that? I only meant it as a figure of speech."

Hermione glanced at her hands then back into his face, he was openly avoiding eye contact, quickly she reached out and pulled his face to look at her, "its okay Ron, I'm not upset."

His crystal blue eyes gazed down into her own chocolate ones with admiration, and slowly they moved closer to each other, like gravity was pushing them together.

"Hermione are you home? Are you okay!?" Yelled a voice from the fireplace, causing both Ron and her to jump away from each other.

Quickly she rushed to the fireplace and met a pair of familiar brown eyes, "Connor! Oh how are you? I haven't talked to you in a while! I'm fine, why?" She asked ignoring the voice inside her that was yelling at her for not contacting him sooner, last time they had talked she had been horrible to him.

"Oh good, I just hadn't heard from you in a while and was curious if something had happened?" He told her smiling kindly at her, "I'm sorry about earlier this week, I know you don't like to feel like I'm babysitting you, I just worry about you sweetheart."

Hermione tried not to flinch, she was such a horrible girlfriend, but once Ron left things would go back to normal, "Oh, I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have snapped at you, I was just stressed out. And yes, something did happen, that person that is after Ron poisoned the potions I gave him!" She exclaimed.

His eyes got wide, "Really? Oh Mione, I'm so sorry, no wonder you have been busy, you've been mourning! Now I understand, it's okay sweetie, anyway I need to get back to work been really busy with this proje…"

"No Connor!" She quickly rushed out, "he isn't dead, I saved him, but I've spent my week taking care of him, I needed to keep a close eye on him, I'm sorry I should have given you a call before now, I was just distracted with him, and then Harry is in and out of the house so much I barely have anytime to myself!"

Connor stared at her for a while, "I see, I'm sorry you've had to deal with this. It must be such an imposition, maybe I should come over, I know you can't leave him alone, but I could come over and help out a bit?"

Hermione looked at him for a moment, "What about work? It sounded pretty important, I can't ask you to do that, not to mention, things haven't changed and I think it would be best if you didn't come here. But if you aren't too busy I could always come over to your place for a while, Ron can take care of himself for a few hours."

"No don't worry about it, you're right I have to get to work. I'll talk to you soon okay?" Connor told her with a charming smile.

"Okay, good luck, you've been working on this project since we started dating, I know you'll do great!" She told him with a kind smile.

"I hope so, it seems every time I think I've got it, something goes wrong, anyway I think I have a lead and then I'll be done and we can celebrate!" He told her happily before leaving the call.

"I stand by what I said; he gives me the bloody creeps!" Ron mumbled from behind her, not really talking to her.

"He isn't a creep; he is hard-working, smart, charming, and a sweetheart!" She snapped at him.

"Oh yes every girl wants to date a workaholic with a seedy personality, something isn't right with him! I'm an auror, I know these things! I'm trained to sniff out the creeps!" Ron snapped back. "What is his last name?"

"Rosier." She answered rolling her eyes.

"Hermione, that's a bad family, an old pureblooded family, he has ties with the Blacks, Princes, Malfoy's, and Lestrange families, no good can come from that." He explained to her.

"First off, Sirius and Andromeda were Black, were they not good and noble enough for you? Narcissa Malfoy used to be a Black and wasn't she the one who saved Harry's life? Severus Snape's mother was a Prince, was he not the bravest man you've ever met? And let us not forget the fact you and Harry have lunch with Draco Malfoy once a month, whom takes over as head auror when Harry isn't there, are you telling me he is still just as terrible as he once was? Not to mention Connor is a half blood, his father ran off to America and married a muggle woman. Why do you still insist on judging someone on their names, it's just as bad as judging someone on their blood status, or if they are a werewolf." She told him passionately crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"I am not judging I'm just worried about you! He isn't right for you and I would appreciate it if you didn't mention werewolves to me now." Ron snapped suddenly looking upset.

Hermione blinked at the sudden change and unsure of what to do sat next to him, "why?" she finally decided to ask.

"Lavender wrote me a note and had Harry give it to me two days ago; she ended it, said, well she said a lot of things that got me thinking. The worst part is I don't even miss her, not in the way I should, I just miss her like I would a friend. I feel terrible." He sighed.

Hermione's jaw dropped open, Lavender had broken up with him, was it because of her? "Oh Ron, I'm sorry, you'll find the right person one day." She choked out, patting his knee.

He stared at her, almost like he was trying to read her for the first time, "What if I already have but I let her go?"

Hermione's eyes grew wide, "then I'd have to say, if she is the right person, she'd come back. Like the saying goes, if you love someone let them go, if they come back they were always yours, but if they don't, they never were."

"You have no idea Mione, you shouldn't be encouraging me." He whispered to her, sending shivers down her spine, she tilted her head to the side in question but before she could say anything he kissed her so softly she wasn't even sure if she had imagined it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, you're dating someone." He mumbled getting up to walk away.

"Please don't leave me again." She whimpered scared she would never get the bravery to say it again. He turned at looked at her.

"I'm not going anywhere Mione, but I won't make you a cheater, it's your choice, I don't mind waiting." He told her with a smile, before walking out, leaving her lips burning and her mind buzzing with a million questions.


	5. Chapter 5

**So I posted two chapters tonight because of how short this one is, I hope you enjoy it, and reviews always help fuel my creativity! Thank you for enjoying my story, I figure I have maybe 3 more chapter left until the end! **

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Hermione walked down the streets of muggle London, headed to her soon to be ex boyfriend's house. She had decided that morning she was going to break up with him, he deserved someone who could actually love him, not someone who was still in love with their ex. She hummed quietly to herself the snow crunching softly under her boots, the cold air felt great on her frazzled mind.

She walked slowly trying to figure out exactly what she was going to say to him and how, she didn't want it to go badly, she hated when break ups went poorly. Just then she heard a woman scream out something, turning quickly she didn't have time for anything before she was hit by a car.

The world twisted and twirled in a mix of colors and confusion before she came to a stop staring face up into the clear sky, pain radiated from her head and body as she listened to the screams of the other pedestrians.

"Is she okay?"

"Someone call the police!"

"Did anyone get the license plate number?"

"Is she bleeding?"

"Hermione!? Hermione? Oh bloody hell move out of the way that's my girlfriend! Merlin's beard are you hurt?" Connor asked, his face coming into focus from above.

"I….. I don't know." She told him before testing out if she could move, slowly she moved her arms, then her legs, and bit her lip to stop herself from screaming out, "I sprained my wrist," She told him while breathing deeply, "But even worse I think my leg might be broken." She explained quietly to him before turning to the rest of the on lookers, "I'm okay, he is just going to take me to his place to check me over, he's a doctor and will get me fixed up in a jiffy!" She told them with a painful smile.

"Stupid muggles and their contraptions, deadly things." Connor muttered to himself causing Hermione to glare at him.

"Muggles aren't stupid, wasn't your mother a muggle? You of all people should know it was an accident, whoever it was, was probably drunk. They probably didn't even realize they hit someone." She explained. "Now if you could please get me off this cold ground I'd greatly appreciate it."

Connor smiled at her, "Of course, so sorry!" He told her before none to gently lifting her up.

"OUCH! Careful! My leg is broken!" She snapped at him as he jostled her around.

"Sorry, sorry Mione, we are almost to my place and I can floo you over to your place and get some potions in you that will heal you right up. It's not often I get to play healer for you." He told her happily.

She smiled at him unsure of what to do, she needed help getting back home, but it would be very awkward for Ron. She just decided to keep quiet until they made it to his place, "Are you going somewhere?" She asked him looking at the pile of boxes in the corner of his living room.

"Oh it's just part of my project for work." He told her off handedly, "Now if you'll take the floo, I can hold you and you can floo us in."

So in a flash of green flames he was stepping out of her fireplace, Ron stared on in surprise, "What happened to you!?"

"A drunk muggle hit me with his car on my way to Connor's. Connor must have heard the commotion from his apartment. Actually how did you see it?" She asked looking at him, the accident had occurred two blocks from his place.

"I was going for a walk, clear my head, I had hit a snag in my project but my walk gave me new insight on what to do!" He explained to her, "Would you like some tea with you potions?"

"Um sure?" She told him, unsure of what had him in such a good mood.

"Good good, Ronald is it? Would you like to get her, the potion to fix broken bones, a pain potion, one to fix that nasty cut on her forehead, you don't suppose she has a concussion do you? Maybe something for that, I don't know just look through her potions, you're smart you'll figure out what to get her." Connor rattled, before walking into the kitchen for her tea.

"What a creep." Ron mumbled before walking off to her potions storage area.

A few minutes later Ron had come back and administered her potions, "Oh I never realized how disgusting those are!" She choked out after swallowing 4 potions.

"I told you pumpkin juice potions would be a hit!" Ron told her with a smile, "How's your leg?"

Better, thank you so much, and I want you to know there was a reason I was going to Connor's it just didn't happen yet, I chose you." She whispered to him with another slight smile.

Ron stared at her before his face broke out into a dazzling smile, "bloody brilliant!"

Hermione laughed just as Connor emerged from the kitchen, "here you go Mione, you too Ronald."

"Thank you very much Connor." She told him before taking a big gulp to wash the potion flavor out of her mouth suddenly her eyes grew big. "RON DON'T DRINK IT! IT HAS SLEEPING POTION IN IT!" She yelled out before falling over, the room getting dizzy.

"You son of a bit…" Ron yelled but he wasn't quick enough. Through the haze Hermione watched in horror as Connor whipped out his wand and stunned Ron the force of the spell throwing him against her book shelf and then Hermione knew no more.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I am so sorry for the wait, a lot has happened recently, my boyfriend and I broke up, I moved across the country, and the stress decided to occupy itself in causing severe writers block with this story I have one more chapter after this and I'm done. I'm not thrilled with my writing on these last two chapters, but its finally done and I did it for you all who have patiently waited. So here you go!**_

CHAPTER SIX

The sound of muffled footsteps and whispering slowly came into focus. "Yes mother, after all of our planning and preparations it has all come together," A quiet voice laughed gleefully.

Hermione groaned quietly trying to fight the cobwebs out of her head, what the hell was going on? She tried to turn over only to realize her hands and feet were bound together. Trying to breathe through the sudden panic that quickly placed itself into her chest she tried to remember the last thing that had happened. She remembered a car accident, Connor, Ron, tea, then nothing.

She let out a quiet huff of annoyance but kept her eyes closed as the footsteps approached her. "Don't worry mother, they'll wake soon enough, and I'll have my revenge on the one who took you away from me!" Laughed a very familiar voice as it slowly faded, as the person walked past her into the kitchen. Her heart stopped, it was Connor! He had drugged her drink and stunned Ron! RON! Panicked her eyes shot open only for her to immediately close them from the blinding light.

Slowly she opened her eyes once again, everything was blurred as she tried to focus, suddenly Ron's red hair came into focus, he was next to her, and they were both tied up on the couch. Her eyes quickly scanned the room for Connor and finally landed on a photograph laying on her coffee table, in it sat a younger version of Connor, he looked about 15 and was smiling, but what caused the blood to freeze in her veins, was the woman in the picture smiling almost lovingly back at him, there sat Bellatrix Lestrange looking like she had just broken out of Azkaban.

"Ron! Wake up you prat! I need your help to get me out of this damn mess!" She whispered, knocking her shoulder against him, unfortunately she wasn't used to the bindings and lost her balance and with a loud thump she fell to the floor, smacking her head on the table in the process, "Ouch! Shit that hurt!" She mumbled feeling dazed as she tried to roll over to get her face off of the floor.

"Ah Hermione, so glad to see you're awake sweetie!" Connor told her as he lifted her up and placed her back on the couch.

"What the hell Connor!? What the fuck do you think you're doing!" She screeched at him fighting against her bindings.

"Now don't do that, you might fall over again, and it already looks like you'll end up with a nasty bruise on your forehead! Lets wake your friend up and get on with the show!" He pulled out his wand and sprayed Ron with a jet of water.

"Merlin's beard what the hell!?" Ron sputtered out before shaking his head and quickly processing everything that was happening in an instant as he was trained to do for his job. "YOU!" He roared fighting against his binds and failing.

"Oh yes! Me! Now that we have gotten that out of the way shall we continue to something much more exciting than you two yelling at me!" Connor laughed excitedly.

"Why? Why did you do this?" Hermione asked trying to buy time as she tried to remember what happened to her bracelet that Harry had given her, she must not have put it on during the chaos of the morning, was it really only this morning Ron had walked in on her showering?

"Well, where to start?" Connor mumbled to himself.

"The beginning usually works." Ron answered eyes flashing angrily, his hands still working against his binds.

"Well let's start with my name shall we? My name isn't Connor Rosier, although I am a distant relative of theirs, actually my name is Connor Lestrange, and you're blood traitor of a mother murdered the only person who ever mattered to me!" Connor yelled suddenly rage clearly visible under his calm facade.

Ron's mouth dropped open in surprise but Hermione had already figured this much out, "So why am I involved? You wanted revenge on Mrs. Weasley I'm assuming, going after her kids was you're best plan, take away the people who mean the most to her, but why date me? Why go after Ron specifically?"

Connor's angry eyes whipped from Ron back to her, "Well I went after Ron because he would be the easiest to get to, or I thought he would be. He actually became quite a nuisance, but he was an Auror, and it shouldn't have been hard to lure him out of hiding and get to him, the youngest, the girl, she's quite protected with Potter being her husband, I was still thinking that one through. The one eared one? He was going to be next, I just had to make sure I worked one at a time, or I might get messy. I couldn't find the other two, one's somewhere in Romania, the other one I haven't a clue where he is, but I haven't given up!" He laughed freely.

"But why me, I hadn't talked to Ron in 3 years, why date me if you knew that?" She asked trying to draw this out long enough to free herself.

"Because eventually one of them would come to you, you're in a muggle neighborhood, a perfect safe house. Once they were here I thought it would be simple, I'd come over because you would trust me and there they would be, sitting there so trusting, and they would never have a clue what happened."

Hermione blinked disgusted that she had ever dated this man, Ron had been right, she thought ruefully, he was a creep! Suddenly she was being lifted off her seat and thrown across coffee table and onto the floor, glass shards from the tea cups and glass vials that had been sitting there littered the floor underneath her and stabbed at her sensitive skin.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR YOU BASTARD!" Ron screamed trying to stand up and charge Connor only to trip and fall down on the floor on the other side of the coffee table where Hermione couldn't see him.

Connor tsked but picked Ron back up and threw him none to gently back on the couch, "Would you shut up you twit! You're constant yelling is serving to only piss me off and give me a headache. And honestly, the more angry you make me the sooner I'll kill her." He told Ron with a quiet vengeance.

"Why her?" Ron asked in horror, "I'm the one you're after! Me! Not her! Leave her out of this!"

"I can't she became a part of this the moment I introduced myself, but it wasn't until I came through the fireplace and saw how you two love birds looked at each other I realized what I would do, originally I was just going to kill her off with a poison in her tea." Hermione let out a gasp of horror. "But when I saw how much you cared about her, I knew what I had to do. The best way to hurt someone, is to hurt the person they care most for. I'm using you two as my guinea pigs, to test this theory, and I want to see how far love really goes. Crucio."

Hermione immediately felt unbelievable pain coursing through her but clamped her mouth shut, she would not give this evil man the satisfaction of her screams. The pain felt as though it would never end, tears fell from her brown eyes as every nerve ending screamed out in protest, she tasted blood as she clamped down on her lip to stop the scream that sat in her throat begging to be let out. As suddenly as it had hit her, it was gone and she almost sobbed in relief, slowly the ringing in her ears eased and she heard Ron begging Connor to let her go.

Connor laughed as he hoisted Hermione up by her arm, "No I don't think I will, I think I'm going to have some fun with her before I kill her, I'll be back for you later." Connor finished laughing as Hermione struggled against him to no avail and with one last evil smirk towards Ron, he marched her into the bedroom.

Ron panicked when Hermione let out a terrified scream. He had to keep calm and get them both out of this mess. With a deep breath he tried to ignore the horrified screams of the woman he loved to focus. Slowly he felt his magic building, he was no Hermione but he knew he could do simple wandless magic with enough focus. Sweat broke out across his forehead as he slowly felt the ties loosen around his wrist and ankles, and then fall to the ground.

Quickly and quietly he made his way to the kitchen and found his wand on the counter, bloody stupid wanker, he thought to himself only to feel his blood freeze as Hermione's screams suddenly stopped. With a speed he didn't even know he possessed he flew across the apartment to the bedroom and burst through the door, only to find Hermione cowering in the corner her clothes shredded and covered in blood as Connor lay motionless in a growing puddle. She was sobbing hysterically her blood covered hands smearing across her wet cheeks as she tried to hide her face.

"Hermione…" he breathed before rushing to her.

She cried into his shoulder as he held her for what felt like hours, thanking merlin she was okay and alive.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Thank you every for reading this story and reviewing. I'm so thankful for each and everyone of you. I hope you enjoyed this story, let me know how you liked it. Okay so here you go the last chapter of the story!**_

CHAPTER SEVEN

Harry glanced over at the couple sitting across from him, he almost couldn't recognize his two best friends, Ron was bruised all over from when Connor had stunned him, his hair was all over the place and his clothes had spots of blood on them. But it wasn't Ron who startled him the most it was Hermione, Her hair was a tangle matted mess, her cheeks bruised and smeared with tears and dried blood, her clothes were ripped and ragged, and her hands and almost every other part of her body was covered in blood.

"Okay Ron, thank you for telling me, that, but we still need to know what happened after he took Hermione in the room, Hermione?" Harry said quietly, she hadn't spoken since he had gotten there.

She looked at him thoughtfully before taking a breath and speaking, "He dragged me in there with the intent of raping me," She spit the word out like it tasted terrible, "I had grabbed a shard of glass off the ground when he threw me down and was working on cutting the ropes on my hands, he was touching me and I was screaming for him to stop to leave me alone, and he wouldn't, I couldn't breathe, how dare he do this to me, I kept thinking it was the only thing that kept me from panicking, and once I got the ropes off my hands, I stabbed him. He wasn't expecting it he was too caught up in what he was doing to focus on what I was doing, I didn't even know I was screaming as I stabbed him, over and over, I just kept thinking, how dare he touch me, how dare he hurt Ron, how dare he threaten the Weasley family and then, I realized I had killed him and I just broke down, and Ron found me." She told them quietly, before starting to cry again.

Harry nodded feeling his chest tighten, "Did he rape you?"

She looked at him, "No he didn't get that far, but he did have his hands all over me and he would have if I hadn't…" She stopped and let a small sob out.

Harry nodded, "And what of the bracelet I gave you just in case something like this was to happen?"

Hermione suddenly laughed through her sobs, "Ask Ron."

Harry glanced at his best mate who was turning red around the ears, "I may have walked in on her showering this morning, she got upset at me and she may not have been focusing on putting the bracelet on."

Harry let out a bark of a laugh before turning to Hermione, "Why did you take it off in the first place?"

"Honestly Harry I don't mind wearing it for a while, but bracelets drive me crazy I don't know why but I was constantly fiddling with it and I can't sleep if I'm wearing it."

Harry nodded, "Okay I think I have everything for the report, my men have cleaned up the house for you, you both should shower and go to sleep it's been a tough day for the both of you, hell it's been a tough month. You both deserve some peace and rest for a few days, Ron you're free to come and go as you please, since we've found the guy who was after you. Okay I think that's everything, I'll see you both soon." And with that Harry was gone.

Hermione stood stiffly and looked at Ron with a guarded look, "I'm going to shower, I'll see you." And with that she locked herself away in her bathroom as Ron stared after her in confusion.

Hermione tried to relax in the shower as she washed all the dried blood off of her but she couldn't get rid of the lump that had formed in her throat when Harry had told them Ron no longer had to stay there. She felt like there was a war inside of her, she was so scared to trust him, not only had her past boyfriend just attempted to rape and kill her, Ron had left her once before and she was scared to trust him again. But the other part of her knew without a doubt that Ron was the guy she wanted to be with until she died, earlier today she had been ready to throw away her relationship for him, so here she was in the shower, contemplating if she should listen to her rational mind, or for once in her life take a leap of faith and follow her heart. Hermione stood under the pouring water letting it wash away the horrors of the day, and thinking. Finally she decided and with a smile jumped out of the shower threw on a pair of clean pajamas and ran out to talk to Ron.

She walked out into the living room and frowned, it was empty, she checked the kitchen and his bedroom, all empty, he was gone.

Hermione felt her heart rip in two; he had left without telling her goodbye, albeit she may have given him the cold shoulder but it had been because she was scared that this would happen and had needed a moment to think, and now he was gone.

She sat on her couch with a sad sigh, her fault she thought ruefully, she did this to herself. She felt a few tears slide down her cheeks as she tried to ignore the clench in her heart. Suddenly her fireplace lit up green and Ron stepped back through, freshly washed and smiling slightly at her.

The smile slipped when he saw a stray tear slide down her cheek, and he quickly sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her, "Hey shh, what's on your mind sweetheart?" he asked her quietly.

She laughed tearfully, "Honestly? I thought you were gone, I thought I had messed up and you had left for good."

He looked at her seriously, "Hermione look at me." She raised her chocolate eyes and met his blue ones, "I made the mistake once of walking out of your life, I'm not one to make the same mistake twice, I just went to shower and came right back. Hermione I am never going anywhere, ever, I don't know if I could leave if you wanted me to." He paused and suddenly looked nervous, "You don't want me too, right?"

Hermione smiled, "Ron, if you ever leave me again I will hunt you down. I love you, I've loved you since you left me the first time. You hurt me deeply but I never stopped missing you, not once."

He smiled at her, before bending and kissing her gently, love pouring through and mending all the hurt that had occurred between them. When he pulled back he held her in a tight hug. "Alright Mione, its been a long day, I say we follow Harry's advice and go to bed."

Hermione glanced at him and then at the door to her bedroom with slight worry, "Ron, can I stay in your room tonight? Someone died in my room today and that's kind of freaky."

Ron looked at her before laughing at her statement, "I wouldn't have it any other way, love."


End file.
